In a significant undertaking that bridges nineteenth-century Romanticism with the pioneering electronic aesthetics of the 1970s, sound designer and synthesist Ava Felsenstein has announced a comprehensive project to adapt Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic cycle, Má vlast, through the unique sonic lens of Isao Tomita. The project, which involves arranging, synthesizing, and performing the entirety of the 75-minute Czech masterpiece, represents a deep technical exploration into the capabilities of modern software instruments to replicate the idiosyncratic, "handmade" character of early modular synthesis. By focusing on the soundscapes popularized by Tomita, a giant of the Japanese electronic scene, Felsenstein aims to provide a modern reimagining of Smetana’s nationalist epic while simultaneously conducting a rigorous study of digital-to-analog emulation.
The Scope of the Project: Reimagining Má vlast
Bedřich Smetana’s Má vlast (My Country) is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879. It is widely considered a cornerstone of Czech musical identity, portraying the history, legends, and landscapes of the composer’s homeland. While the second movement, Vltava (better known as The Moldau), has achieved global ubiquity, the full cycle presents a formidable challenge for any arranger due to its dense orchestral textures and narrative complexity.
Felsenstein’s adaptation seeks to translate these orchestral nuances into a purely electronic medium. The decision to tackle the full 75-plus minute work marks this as one of the most ambitious solo synthesis projects in recent years. Unlike standard MIDI-based orchestral mockups, which strive for realism, Felsenstein’s approach is rooted in "tone painting"—the art of using synthesizers to create evocative, often surreal textures that suggest the mood of the original instruments without strictly imitating them.
The Tomita Influence: A Legacy of Electronic Painting
To understand the direction of Felsenstein’s project, one must look to the work of Isao Tomita (1932–2016). Tomita gained international fame in the mid-1970s with albums such as Snowflakes Are Dancing (an interpretation of Claude Debussy) and his subsequent arrangements of Holst’s The Planets and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
Tomita was known for his masterful use of the Moog Modular System 55, the Mellotron, and a variety of custom-built spatial effects. His style was characterized by "whistling" lead sounds, synthesized human-like voices, and a revolutionary use of quadraphonic panning. He did not merely play classical music on a synthesizer; he re-orchestrated it, using the studio as a canvas. Felsenstein’s project is explicitly framed as an homage to this "Tomita-esque" sonic universe, seeking to capture the warmth, the slight pitch instabilities, and the lush, atmospheric reverbs that defined that era of Japanese electronic music.
Technical Methodology: The Software Challenge
A central pillar of Felsenstein’s work is the exclusive use of software plugins. This choice introduces a specific set of creative constraints and technical hurdles. While modern Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) offer immense processing power, replicating the organic, often unpredictable nature of 1970s hardware remains a significant challenge for sound designers.
"The main challenge is a technical and creative one: how close can modern software instruments get to the unique sound aesthetics of Tomita’s 1970s recordings?" Felsenstein noted during the project’s announcement. The production avoids original hardware in favor of high-fidelity emulations of Moog Modular systems, Mellotrons, and vintage string machines.
To achieve the desired authenticity, Felsenstein has spent over two years in a dedicated phase of sound design and programming. This involves:
- Voltage Emulation: Using plugins that model the non-linear behavior of analog oscillators and filters to avoid the "static" sound of digital synthesis.
- Mellotron Textures: Utilizing sample-based instruments that replicate the tape-warble and mechanical noise of the original Mellotron, a staple of Tomita’s orchestral "choirs."
- Experimental Effects: Recreating the complex signal chains Tomita used, including frequency shifters, phase modulators, and specialized delay units to create a sense of three-dimensional space.
Felsenstein describes the process as a "study of both the possibilities and limitations of modern software," highlighting the tension between the precision of digital tools and the "beautiful imperfections" of early electronic hardware.
Project Timeline and Development
The development of this adaptation is a multi-year endeavor. According to the current project roadmap, Felsenstein began the initial sound design phase in 2023. The complexity of arranging six full symphonic movements for a purely synthesized ensemble requires not only technical proficiency but also a deep understanding of Smetana’s original score.
- 2023–2024: Research and Sound Design Phase. This period was dedicated to building the "Tomita Palette," creating custom patches that mirror the leads, pads, and percussive elements found on albums like The Bermuda Triangle and Kosmos.
- 2025: Arrangement and Sequencing. This phase focuses on the translation of the orchestral score into MIDI, with specific attention to the "performance" aspect of synthesis—using expression controllers to mimic the breath and vibrato of a live orchestra.
- 2026–2027: Mixing, Mastering, and Final Release. The project is expected to reach completion by the end of 2026 or in the spring of 2027.
Currently, Felsenstein has released previews of the first two movements: Vyšehrad and Vltava. Vyšehrad, which represents the high castle of the Bohemian kings, utilizes the Moog Modular and Mellotron palette to create a sense of ancient, mythological grandeur. The arrangement of The Moldau captures the flowing motion of the river through intricate filter modulation and cascading synthesized sequences.
Historical and Industry Context
Felsenstein’s project arrives at a time of renewed interest in early electronic music techniques. The "Dawless" movement and the resurgence of modular synthesis have brought 1970s workflows back into the mainstream. However, the decision to execute such a project entirely "in the box" (using only a computer) is a provocative stance in an industry that often fetishizes physical hardware.
The project also sits within a long tradition of electronic classical crossover. This lineage began with Wendy Carlos’s Switched-On Bach in 1968, which proved that synthesizers could be expressive musical instruments. Tomita took this a step further by moving away from the strict "keyboard" approach and toward a more atmospheric, orchestral style. Felsenstein’s work is a continuation of this evolution, testing whether the digital tools of the 21st century can finally bridge the gap to the soulful, analog warmth of the 20th.
Analysis of Implications for Sound Design
Industry observers and fellow synthesists have noted that Felsenstein’s project serves as a valuable case study in "aesthetic archeology." By attempting to recreate a specific historical sound using modern tools, Felsenstein is identifying the specific digital artifacts that often prevent software from sounding "vintage."
One of the primary implications of this work is the democratization of high-level sound design. If Felsenstein can successfully recreate the multi-million dollar sound of a 1970s studio using consumer-available plugins, it validates the maturity of the software industry. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of the user over the gear. The "Tomita sound" was not just a result of the Moog Modular; it was a result of Tomita’s specific vision and his willingness to spend months on a single patch. Felsenstein’s two-year commitment suggests a similar dedication to the craft.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
As the project moves toward its 2026/2027 completion date, the electronic music community remains attentive to Felsenstein’s progress. The initial samples of Vyšehrad and The Moldau have already received praise for their stylistic accuracy, with some critics suggesting the arrangements feel like "lost tapes" from Tomita’s prime years at RCA Red Seal.
The final release of the full Má vlast cycle will likely serve as both a tribute to Bedřich Smetana’s compositional genius and a testament to the enduring influence of Isao Tomita. By merging these two disparate worlds, Ava Felsenstein is not only preserving the legacy of electronic music’s pioneers but is also pushing the boundaries of what modern digital synthesis can achieve in the realm of classical interpretation.
Follow-up reports on the project’s completion and the final technical specifications of the synthesis chain are expected as the release date approaches. For now, the work stands as a bold reminder that the "sonic universe" of the past is still very much accessible to those willing to master the tools of the present.
